The Word, Sweet as Honey
One of my favorite drinks in the fall is warm apple cider. There’s something about the blend of spices and warmth that just feels comforting. And when I add a little honey, it takes it to another level—turning a good drink into something truly special.
In the ancient world, honey was a big deal. It wasn’t just a sweetener; it carried deep meaning too. Jewish rabbis would sometimes put honey on their students' fingers, inviting them to taste and remember the magnificence of God’s Word. As Psalm 119:103 says, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (The word for "sweet" here means “smooth” or “pleasant.”)
But let me ask, does God’s Word feel that way to you? Does it go down sweet and comforting, or does reading the Bible sometimes feel more like drinking lemon juice, sharp and tough to swallow?
For me, growing up in South Texas, the Bible was part of life’s big three: BBQ, baseball, and the Bible. I had no problem loving BBQ and baseball, but the Bible? That was a different story. As a preacher’s kid, I felt this pressure to understand Scripture, but to be honest, it often seemed like a confusing collection of stories without any clear message. I couldn’t wrap my head around why people would read it daily or how they always seemed to find something new.
Fast forward to age 27. After a broken marriage and years of battling pride and addiction, I finally surrendered my life to Christ. One of the first things I did was join a small group. That’s where I began to see the Bible in a whole new light. It wasn’t just a random assortment of stories, it was a grand love story. Slowly but surely, I started to discover the sweetness hidden in its pages.
Romans 1:1-16 paints a beautiful picture of how God’s Word works in our lives. Paul writes, “Through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations” (v. 5). Faith and obedience go hand in hand. When you come to know the one true God through His Word, obedience stops feeling like a burden. It becomes a natural response to trusting the One who loves you deeply.
I’ve experienced this firsthand. As I encountered God through Scripture, the gospel—just as Paul describes in Romans 1—became more than just words. It became a life-changing truth. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). The Bible stopped being confusing and became a living, breathing guide that reveals not only who God is, but who I am in Him.
Knowing God through His Word changes everything. It’s not just about learning facts or memorizing verses; it’s about heart transformation. This is where true life begins not in some far-off future, but right now, as we come to know Him through His Word.
Throughout the ups and downs of my journey, the Bible has become my guide and refuge. What once felt overwhelming and hard to understand has now become sweet, like honey. Now when I open its pages, I find new inspiration, encouragement, and hope. Is it always easy to make time to read the Bible? No. Do I learn something new every single time? Again, no. But my journey with God’s Word reflects my faith, a path filled with grace, love, and the assurance that God is walking with me, guiding me every step of the way.
How about you? Is the Word sweet to you?